1. You may identify the stasis in the play but it isn’t necessarily at the beginning of the play. Where is it and who does it involve?
The play is set with a trial of The People vs Dan White. This occurs in 1978 in San Francisco. Dan White is on trial for two counts of murder for the previous mayor (George Moscone) and the city supervisor (Harvey Milk). Other people involved are: Dan's attorney, Dan's wife, Mary White, Douglas Schmidt, Joan Lu, Thomas Norman, the Judge, police officers, psychiatrists, TV reporters, Frank Falzone, and etc.
2. Ball points out that the intrusion sometimes occurs late in the dramatic action. What is the intrusion that breaks the stasis in Execution of Justice and how is it broken?
I think the interrogation of Dan White was the intrusion in the play even though it was pretty hard to determine overall. But I choose the interrogation as it leads to a lot of the dramatic situation that happens within the play afterwards.
3. Why do the events of the play take place at this particular time and place? In other words, what is the unique factor that is out of the ordinary that causes a turn of events to take place? Hint: what is the heart of the play? How does the title figure in this?
The events happen at this time because this is when Dan White is put on trial for commuting murder. After the trial occurred, many, violent and aggressive riots started occurring all throughout the city, many of which was LGBT oriented which led me to believe this was the unique factor. The title "Execution of Justice" plays a role as I believe it infers that justice was being killed/not effectively displayed during this case.
4. State the dramatic questions that must be answered by the end of the play? (Ordinarily, the dramatic question shares a close connection with the intrusion.)
Will Dan White ever confess to the mass that he killed the two innocent citizens with premeditation?
5. Use the two lawyers to answer the questions concerning character. Ball says, a character is revealed by what he/she does, ie. The dramatic actions that are taken. Examine what these particular characters wants. The wants of a character often encounter obstacles that get in the way of achieving those wants. Ball says there are 4 kinds of obstacles that frustrate the wants of a character. They are: a. Me against myself, b. Me against another individual, c. Me against society (that is law, social norms, etc.) and, d. Me against fate, the universe, natural forces, God or the gods. In answering these questions be sure to point to the particular obstacles that demonstrate these obstacles facing each of the lawyers.
The grandest conflict evident from the opposing views of the two lawyers is "Me against another individual", I say this as the two lawyers were going head to head the entire trial trying to fight for the rights of their respective clients.
6. The most important information in most plays takes place during theatrical moments. Identify the most theatrical moments in Execution of Justice
The most theatrical moment during the play is when the decision is made that Dan White is not innocent of first degree murder. This is a shock to the entire audience as he was not convicted premeditated murder even though he arrived to the scene with a gun. This theatrical moment was the root cause of the riots that were stirred up.
The play is set with a trial of The People vs Dan White. This occurs in 1978 in San Francisco. Dan White is on trial for two counts of murder for the previous mayor (George Moscone) and the city supervisor (Harvey Milk). Other people involved are: Dan's attorney, Dan's wife, Mary White, Douglas Schmidt, Joan Lu, Thomas Norman, the Judge, police officers, psychiatrists, TV reporters, Frank Falzone, and etc.
2. Ball points out that the intrusion sometimes occurs late in the dramatic action. What is the intrusion that breaks the stasis in Execution of Justice and how is it broken?
I think the interrogation of Dan White was the intrusion in the play even though it was pretty hard to determine overall. But I choose the interrogation as it leads to a lot of the dramatic situation that happens within the play afterwards.
3. Why do the events of the play take place at this particular time and place? In other words, what is the unique factor that is out of the ordinary that causes a turn of events to take place? Hint: what is the heart of the play? How does the title figure in this?
The events happen at this time because this is when Dan White is put on trial for commuting murder. After the trial occurred, many, violent and aggressive riots started occurring all throughout the city, many of which was LGBT oriented which led me to believe this was the unique factor. The title "Execution of Justice" plays a role as I believe it infers that justice was being killed/not effectively displayed during this case.
4. State the dramatic questions that must be answered by the end of the play? (Ordinarily, the dramatic question shares a close connection with the intrusion.)
Will Dan White ever confess to the mass that he killed the two innocent citizens with premeditation?
5. Use the two lawyers to answer the questions concerning character. Ball says, a character is revealed by what he/she does, ie. The dramatic actions that are taken. Examine what these particular characters wants. The wants of a character often encounter obstacles that get in the way of achieving those wants. Ball says there are 4 kinds of obstacles that frustrate the wants of a character. They are: a. Me against myself, b. Me against another individual, c. Me against society (that is law, social norms, etc.) and, d. Me against fate, the universe, natural forces, God or the gods. In answering these questions be sure to point to the particular obstacles that demonstrate these obstacles facing each of the lawyers.
The grandest conflict evident from the opposing views of the two lawyers is "Me against another individual", I say this as the two lawyers were going head to head the entire trial trying to fight for the rights of their respective clients.
6. The most important information in most plays takes place during theatrical moments. Identify the most theatrical moments in Execution of Justice
The most theatrical moment during the play is when the decision is made that Dan White is not innocent of first degree murder. This is a shock to the entire audience as he was not convicted premeditated murder even though he arrived to the scene with a gun. This theatrical moment was the root cause of the riots that were stirred up.